Everyone knows how amazing the riding is at Blue Mountain, but you may not know about one of its little known gems. Tucked away behind Lifted is Blue Mountain’s bike shop, ‘The Shop’. Whether it’s a new tube, brake bleed or a complete fork rebuild, The Shop at Blue has you covered. Like most quality shops, the guys behind the counter here live to ride and have more than just parts and services to offer. They are a wealth of information on the trails and riding scene in general. We sat down with Chris Wall to find out more about The Shop and how it came to be.
RFG: Can you tell us a bit about the history of the shop? Has it always serviced bikes?
I can remember riding at Blue in the late 90’s and there was never any mention of a bike shop, or a place you could go to get work done on your bike. After I moved out west in 2004, I came back and there was a new face that I rode the lift with named Mike Towers. He had moved to Collingwood, and had taken over service of the rental fleet. After a couple of years of servicing the odd customer bike, he hired a dude by the name of Taylor Rowlands. He and Taylor worked with a few other guys for a year, and then I came on board. From that year on, it has been a slow and steady increase of offering more and more services for a growing number of riders. I guess you could call it a perfect storm, as we are the 3 main people you will see in the shop. Mike Towers is in more of a supervisor position now, but he is still very involved in the day-to-day operation. Taylor and I are the main faces in the shop the majority of the time now, and have been for the last few years. 
You’ll always be greeted with a smile by this guy, Taylor Rowlands.
RFG: Being one of the busiest ski shops in the country, how do you transition from winter to summer? Is there any overlap with spring tune-ups or does it get turned on and off like a light bulb?
Currently, if you go looking for the bike shop any time before the middle of May, and after Thanksgiving; it’s nowhere to be found. As soon as the skiing ends the winter rental crew will start putting everything away to make room for us and start our summer rental and repair operation; there is a bit of a ‘cross over’ time in the shoulder seasons where one of the technicians is tuning some of the winter rental fleet. It doesn’t really affect our day-to-day business.
What every shop needs, more cowbell.
Some history on the walls in The Shop. Drew Pautler watches Justin Brown send the spine CIRCA 2005. Photo by yours truly.
Only a few simple rules apply in The Shop.
RFG: You have an enormous rental fleet of bikes to maintain on a daily basis. Can you tell us about the program, what is involved in keeping everything running smoothly?
Every time a DH rental bike goes out with a guest it has to be inspected when it is returned. What this means is that one of the mechanics will spend some quality time with the bike making sure that it is up to par with our standards. We make sure the gears work, the brakes stop, the suspension goes up and down…the basic stuff that’s important for the customer to have in top shelf working condition. If a part is at all suspect, it gets swapped out for a new part before it gets checked out of service, and goes back into the rental fleet. The XC bikes are on a slightly more casual maintenance plan. We check their state once every 10 rides.
The fleet of Rocky Mountain Vapors ready to roll.
One of the best all around bikes to ride with at Blue, The Rocky Mountain Slayer.
Activity Central has all the protective gear you need to make your ride safe and enjoyable.
RFG: How would you describe the balance between managing the rental bikes and the day-to-day operations servicing walk-in customers?
I describe that as a fine line. During the week it’s not too bad, but on a busy Saturday afternoon, it gets pretty hectic. On weekends, when rental bikes are turning over (usually after a 3 hour rental window) we dedicate one mechanic to checking the bikes, and getting them ready for rental again. Usually there are 2 or 3 mechanics in on weekends, so whoever doesn’t take rental duty is available to take on clients that are coming in to have service done on their bikes. It gets busy and we work hard to keep the chaos organized behind the counter. It makes you feel alive that’s for sure!
This Rocky Mountain Flatline is getting some love before the next lucky rider gets to take it down the hill at Blue.
Keeping fresh rubber on the bikes is just one of the things for the staff to check off the list everyday to ensure the bikes are in perfect condition for the renters.
RFG: The Blue Mountains are quickly turning into one of the country’s largest road biking destinations. Do you see much road traffic through the shop?
Honestly, we don’t get our hands on too many. With the Centurion event, and just the influx of people in the area that ride road bikes it surprises me sometimes that we don’t see more. There are some key customers of the shop that drop their road bikes off for a tune while they are out riding our trails on their DH bike. Believe it or not, all the guys in the shop have road bikes, and ride them. We love bikes of all types!
The Centurion Crit flies through the village.
RFG: I think everyone can attest to how great the staff at Blue is for dropping what they are doing to help a rider with a flat or other minor repair. What other services do you offer and what are the typical turnaround times. For example, do riders ever leave their bikes there from one weekend to the next for repair?
Yes, we do our best to get people in and out quickly. One of the things I’m most proud of is our overhaul program. There’s something cathartic about tearing a bike all the way down cleaning it and replace all its fluids and reassembling it. I really enjoy doing them, and that process takes about 4-8 hours. We generally do those kinds of services mid-week. This means that often people will drop their bike off on a Sunday prior to heading home, and pick it up the following weekend. If it were Taylor talking about services he’s proud of, it would be his wheel-building program. That guy seems like he would spend all day building wheels if he could. He’s pretty good at it too, but I try not to give him too many compliments; it goes to his head.
Taylor can fix just about any wheel, accept maybe his own. Dang!
RFG: One thing that caught our attention and is perhaps not as well-known is your reputation amongst the other shops in the area as the go to place for fork and shock repair. “Who does shock repair in the city” is a very common question in our forums. How much of this do you do and what are some of the services you offer?
We actually do a fair bit of fork/shock service. There were days last summer where I would go through seven fork services in a day. It’s good that we all kind of have our niche with what we like to do. Taylor seems to prefer servicing Fox 40’s and Boxxers. I like servicing rear shocks (RC4, Vivids, Roccos); I’ve done some Avalanche forks as well. As of the fall of 2013, we opened an account with S4 Suspension so we now have access to Manitou parts; I’m sure a few Dorado’s are just around the corner. We’ve also serviced our fair share of trail bike suspension. Any suspension with Nitrogen charge in it we can’t service yet- we don’t have the technology for that. I really enjoy doing suspension, as I find that it challenges my brain, and makes me think. Mike, Taylor, Cam, and I often kid about hosting our own “Boxxer Provincials” as a fun event. You never know, maybe it will appear as part of the East Coast Open “Pedal Fest” in the future.
Fresh oil can make a fork feel like new again and can help you get a few more seasons out of it.
New fork seals keep the oil in and the dirt out. The Shop can take care of this for you.
The Shop can also handle most rear shock repairs such as servicing this Rocco.
RFG: With Blue Mountain Resort being a local and international travel destination for everything from skiing to zip lines and golf, what is the experience like introducing people to mountain biking at the resort?
I think that most of us have gotten into downhill riding via other avenues. Mike and I started with riding XC in the 90’s, Taylor started with Dirt Jumping, and racing XC for his high school. Cam was a kid that I coached in alpine ski racing and he was looking for another outlet so I thought it would be a good progression for him. Some of the people that show up to ride have barely any bike RIDING experience and they’ve seen videos of crazy crashes, and massive jumps. Most people think they are going to get hurt (including some of my friends) and my response is always “it’s a choose-your-own-adventure type of sport”. Ultimately, there are brakes to control your speed, and terrain that is suited to everyone from those people who have literally no riding experience, up to some pretty fun, challenging terrain. Blue has done a great job of working with Gravity Logic (Whistler Bike Park Builders) to create good, safe environments for people to progress in. Our guides are pretty good at what they do and keep our clients safe. Many of our guests show up with very little bicycle experience and we always recommend taking a lesson to ensure the best experience possible. It just helps you understand the bike, what it’s capable of and where the best terrain for you is. Even if you ride often, everyone can use a tip every now and again to keep you on your “A” game.
Activity Central provides mountain bike instruction and guided tours.
RFG: With all the new people you initiate to the sport of mountain biking, what would you say is the percentage of those who adopt the sport based on their experience at Blue?
Downhill biking is a funny sport. I strongly believe that it’s a sport that takes very little time to decide if you’re in or you’re out. I’ve seen people come down after one run and say they would never do it again, and others have a smile on their face like you’ve never seen before and you know they’ve got the bug. I think the largest barrier, like many other sports, is the cost; downhill bikes are not cheap. As with all sports, finance dictates the level you participate. You can find reasonable bikes for an affordable price, and if you service it and take care of it, that bike can last a long time.
RFG: Blue Mountain Resort is Ontario’s largest lift assisted mountain biking destination and known for its downhill trails. The area is also blessed with some of the best single track in Ontario. Do you service as many trail and cross country bikes as you do DH?
I would say that we don’t service as many, but we do service them. We seemed to have carved ourselves a tidy little niche in the market with Downhill bikes but we are stoked on bikes of all types and we do our fair share of trail riding prior to the bike park opening and after it closes in the fall. Everyone that works in the shop is super pumped on the new “enduro” style of riding. There are some great local trails around Collingwood; casual climbs and fun descents that compare to some of the best in the country. We really do have a great time riding everywhere, and anywhere.
RFG: Servicing as many downhill bikes as you do must give you a certain level of proficiency. Do you offer any sort of bike set up for customers?
While nothing is on the board in the shop saying we do, we certainly are more than capable of helping our guests with bike set-up. We do have a variety of spring weights in the shop (which is where any good suspension set up starts) and we can always order different weights if we don’t have the one you’re looking for. Different riding styles require different set ups. To offer a full service would require us riding the bike and watching the person ride…it becomes a very personal service. Our service offering grows each season so keep your eyes on the board.
Taylor Rowlands getting everything just right for this customer.
RFG: Does the shop sell parts and accessories at all or is it strictly repairs? Lifted sells a wide selection of helmets and soft goods but what about handlebars, rims and other bike parts?
Our retail store, Lifted, has really upped their game with now carrying Troy Lee Designs, and Fox just to name a couple. They have everything from helmets, armor and casual street wear. In the shop we don’t sell any soft goods, but focus more on the hard goods of the sport. We have full tire range; Maxxis DH tires, Schwalbe, and Kenda. We have handlebars, pedals (clips and flat), chain guides and so on. We order anything the customer wants and it’s not unrealistic to walk in and see full Saint grouppo or a Boxxer World Cup on the wall. We try to stock not only the high end stuff but also a good variety of more affordable components.
Fresh brake pads are always a good idea. The Shop stocks an assortment from different manufacturers.
RFG: What is the number one question you get asked at the counter?
Most frequent bike related question? If they can use our tire pump to put air in their tires. We have a dedicated tire pump that’s in front of the counter that our customers can use to put exact air pressure in their tires anytime we’re open. I’m sure that’s not the answer you were looking for…We deal with a lot of the communication about what’s going on with wet weather opening, race times, and trails for the Tuesday night downhill series. I think most people come in to ask a lot of those random questions because they know that as avid riders we are all heavily invested in trying to offer the best product we can for the people whom come to Blue to ride.
That first beer after a great ride or long day at work is always the best. Don’t forget to say thanks!
RFG: You have some of the best riders in the area working at your shop. Can you tell us a bit about these local heroes?
Everyone likes to think they’re legends…ha-ha. Honestly, I have the good fortune of riding with some very like-minded people who also happen to be very talented at the craft of bike riding. I will give you a brief synopsis of what makes us a ‘legends’ in our own minds.
Taylor “TR” Rowlands: This dudes a pinner-no other way to say it. He is infamous for his spectacular crashes after riding sections of racetracks faster than anyone before him. His bull in a china shop approach makes him very fast when he finishes, but sometimes inconsistent. Everyone knows him for this, and he never turns down talking to someone about riding bikes.
TR racing 2012 Provincials at Camp Fortune.
Mike “MJT” Towers: The legend starts with his storied 4-cross career (including some world cup starts). Towers is a bit of a technician on the bike. It’s very seldom that I’ve seen him not clean a section of trail the first time he rides it. He loves to tell stories of being the “Gears Racing” mechanic and fixing forks with condoms. Towers still rides and rips with the best of them.
Mike “MJT” Towers hitting the wall ride while instructing at the Wade Camp.
Cam “shock doctor” Mckenzie: He’s a super quiet dude that knows more about bikes, designs, and suspension curves than most people I’ve ever met. He’s a pretty talented rider and really enjoys the math side of setting up suspension. If you can get him talking suspensions do yourself a favor and listen.
Trevor “TBurns” Burns: is a guy that was heavily into the race scene a few years back. A nasty crash left him down and out for a few seasons with pain. After finally leaving physiotherapy and seeking a doctor’s opinion it was discovered he had cracked a bone in his shoulder and torned some of the soft tissue structure around that joint. He had 2 surgeries last winter, and should return to riding his downhill bike for pleasure this season. Stoked to see him out there ripping again!
Chris “ChrisWall” Wall: I don’t really consider myself any sort of legend. I have been around bikes, and the scene for the better part of 15 years, and I just love being outside involved in all things bike: from maintaining trails, to announcing for events around the park. I like to do it all and I think I bring a fair bit of knowledge to the table as a result.
ChrisWall cruising through the finish at the 2010 East Coast Open. Rumour is it’s back for 2014 but don’t quote us on that.
RFG: Does the shop have any sort of weekly ride?
That’s something we’ve talked of doing, and maybe we will revisit the discussion. The first time, the timing wasn’t right for us to embark on such an endeavor. I think it’s a great idea, and I would love to see it happen. Maybe down the line we can make something happen. The guys do usually get the chance to do the Tuesday night race series, which is a super fun time. It’s a super casual way to try your hand at trying to make the clock your best friend. The race is always followed up by the awards presentation at Jozo’s; our local bar – how can you go wrong?
The Shop is the scene at Blue in the summer. Lots of great rides start and finish here. Joe Bauckham and James Frost bench racing.
RFG: For those not familiar with the shop, what would you like them to know?
We are just a group of dudes that love to ride bikes. We are at Blue almost every day they are open for riding all season. If we’re not working, we are riding. We are fortunate to have our own scene and vibe that we have worked hard to create and are determined to keep the stoke going. Often we argue, not because we don’t get along, but because it is a spirited way of speaking with one another. Some great ideas often come out of our bickering… We are passionate and knowledgeable about mountain biking; that’s it!